Colleagues,
It's becoming apparent that there are several layers to this issue of who
is a designer and who can practice design. As someone who has been in the
design field for several decades both as an educator and practitioner in
Canada as well as the United States (in no way is this statement meant to
impress anyone but merely to provide context) I have experienced many
facets of this challenge.
Kai makes reference to best practice, which is certainly laudable. But
whose best practice are we talking about? A person only needs to watch
Helvetica (the video) once to see that there best practice for one
designer becomes unacceptable for another. Diehard Modernists rant about
the Postmodernist follies whereas Postmodernist designers cannot believe
that Modernism is still being discussed let alone practiced.
And how is best practice measured? I was part of a government funded study
several years ago that examined the design sector in Canada. As part of
the study, we interviewed both the sellers and buyers of design services.
When asked about key words in design such as value (i.e. what does value
mean to you as a seller/buyer of design services?) the sellers of design
services (i.e. designers) talked about winning a design award or having
their design selected as part of a permanent museum collection or making
the cover of a magazine. For the buyers of design services (i.e. business
people), value had a totally different meaning. Value meant cost reduction
or a greater market share or new export opportunities. In other words,
designers and business people were using the same word but had a very
different meaning for it. Output was what differentiated one set of values
from the other.
Further on that note, I have often found that some designers do not always
understand the concept of measurable outputs very well. This situation
became clear when a group of young architects explained to me that they
had stopped selling the virtues of good architecture to their clients.
Their architectural practice was focused on the renovation of old
buildings, which were used as work places. Initially, they wanted to sell
their design services based on the best practice that they knew, centered
on issues of esthetics and environmental responsibility. What they
discovered is that, generally speaking, their clients did not care about
these issues. Once these same architects began to talk about how their
services would affect the bottom line in a positive way, the situation
changed. The clients began to listen. By the way, they still got to do
good and sustainable architecture but they sold the concept using the
values that were understood by their clients and not other architects.
This position providing measurable outputs to clients is perhaps a
North American phenomenon but, as Gunnar stated, regulating design
standards would be considered a monopolistic position that could not
supported in the United States nor, for that matter, in Canada. Generally
speaking, professions are regulated when there is an issue of public
safety. Even when there is professional regulation, however, there is
never a guarantee that design services will be used. On one hand,
architects in the United States are regulated yet around 90% of buildings
are not designed by architects; on the other, automotive designers in the
United States are not regulated yet no major American car manufacturer
would launch a new car without the input of design.
Lastly, we come to Mark's initial comment, which sparked Don's response.
The issue of recognition and validation is personally and professionally
important. Yet and as we all know, the taste of the pudding is in the
tasting. Don's comment was essentially about outputs; that is, that a
designer's recognition is not solely based on formal education but
ultimately on what has been achieved. Design education is certainly part
of this perception of achievement but it is conditioned by a slew of other
factors some controllable and others not, which become intermingled, and
ultimately become who each one of us is. A recent TED Talk makes the
point. Once you watch it, how could anyone not call Richard a designer?
The talk can be found at
http://www.ted.com/talks/richard_turere_a_peace_treaty_with_the_lions.html
Best regards,
Jacques Giard PhD
Professor of Design
The Design School
Arizona State University
On 8/26/13 11:00 AM, "Kai Reinhardt" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>George,
>
>"I would suggest Kai's argument is more about setting standards of best
>practice rather than setting up monopolies. There are already
>professional design societies in the US that promote good practice and
>have a register of qualified individuals."
>Yes and no. Standards are important but regulation can be useful to
>control the adherence of these standards. We have professional designand
>advertisement societies in germany too. But I regard them as a part of
>the problem because they are pursuing a business model and not many
>politcal goals.
>
>"I would also suggest that it is good for clients and investors, whether
>purchasing graphic or industrial design services, to be able to quickly
>make an informed judgement about the quality of the specific services a
>designer is offering. Accreditation is one option. Having some evidence
>that a designer follows certain practice and process must be give some
>reassurance of capability to a client or investor and provide metrics
>around which to make sense of differences between one designer's
>quotation and another. "
>
>Yes, totally agree. At the moment the quality verification is reached
>through awards. But if you look closer you'll realize that these awards
>are just another business model. Unfortunately the clients don't know it
>and invest in the company who has the most of awards.
>
>"Transparency of professional practice, for clients to know what they
>pay for and how to measure the effectiveness of the outcomes, must
>surely enhance the standing of designers rather than inhibit or restrict
>their ability to earn a living."
>
>I just can say that I totally agree!
>
>best wishes
>Kai
>
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